Demonium is a 2001 horror film by German director Andreas Schnaas

Andreas Schnaas

Andreas Schnaas is a German director and actor, working exclusively in the horror genre. Since he first appeared on the film scene in 1989, Schnaas has become a leader in Germany's ultra-violent low-budget horror film industry.- Early years :Andreas Schnaas was born in Hamburg and embraced cinema...

 and stars Andrea Bruschi

Andrea Bruschi

Andrea Bruschi is an Italian actor who has appeared in a number of comedy, action, and suspense films, and has also worked as a producer, director, and screenwriter....

, Joseph Zaso, and Charlotte Roche

Charlotte Roche

Charlotte Elisabeth Grace Roche is a British-born German television presenter, actress, singer and author.- Life and career :...

.

Plot

The film tells the tale of a group of friends who meet at the sprawling estate of a recently-deceased relative. While attending the reading of his will, they are killed off, one-by-one, for their inheritances. It culminates with a showdown between the killers and remaining family members, with the secret recipe to a miracle drug hanging in the balance.

Cast

• Andrea Bruschi
  Andrea Bruschi
  Andrea Bruschi is an Italian actor who has appeared in a number of comedy, action, and suspense films, and has also worked as a producer, director, and screenwriter....
  
   as Rasmus Bentley
• Claudia Abbate as Maria
• Giuliano Polgar as Felix Baumann
• Emilia Marra as Sabine Noak
• Maurizia Grossi as Nina Moor
• Paolo Di Gialluca as Anton Marquardt
• Erika Manni as Helena
• Joe Zaso
  Joe Zaso
  Joseph Zaso is an American actor and filmmaker.He is a b-movie regular and has been involved in the low budget science fiction and horror industry since 1990...
  
   as Viktor Plushnikov
• Chiara Pavoni as Violetta
• Charlotte Roche
  Charlotte Roche
  Charlotte Elisabeth Grace Roche is a British-born German television presenter, actress, singer and author.- Life and career :...
  
   as Diana Sammer
• Giuseppe Oppedisano as Arnold Berger
• Michele Roselli as The Freak
• David Bracci as Sabine's Husband
• Florinda Vicari as Businesswoman
• Antonio Catalano as Businessman #1
• Eliseo Putzu as Businessman #2
• Walter Faitanini as Diana's Driver
• Angelica Massafra as Experimental Woman
• Antonella Vilella as Siamese Twin

Production

Demonium was filmed in Rome

Rome

Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...

, Italy and the nearby Castello di Lunghezza

Castello di Lunghezza

The Castello di Lunghezza is a medieval fortification situated roughly east of Rome, Italy. It lies in Municipio VIII of Rome, and probably sits on the site of the ancient town of Collatia.-History:...

 in early 2001.

Follow-up

Schnaas followed this film with a more traditional gore piece

Splatter film

A splatter film or gore film is a subgenre of horror film that deliberately focuses on graphic portrayals of gore and graphic violence. These films, through the use of special effects and excessive blood and guts, tend to display an overt interest in the vulnerability of the human body and the...

, 2003's Nikos

Nikos (film)

Nikos the Impaler is a b-grade splatter film directed by and starring German arteur Andreas Schnaas. It follows a reincarnated barbarian as he wreaks havok on modern day New York City.- Synopsis :...

. It also starred Joe Zaso

Joe Zaso

Joseph Zaso is an American actor and filmmaker.He is a b-movie regular and has been involved in the low budget science fiction and horror industry since 1990...

 and was written by one of Demoniums screenwriters, Ted Geoghegan

Ted Geoghegan

Filmmaker and author Ted Geoghegan grew up in Great Falls, Montana, attending private and public schools and studying film extensively...

.

Soundtrack

The score was composed by Marc Trinkhaus and featured songs by US goth band The Razor Skyline

The Razor Skyline

The Razor Skyline is a San Francisco, United States–based goth/industrial band.-History:Formed in Seattle in 1994, the band began life as Journal of Trauma and consisted of members Karen Kardell and the_gun. The chemistry was instant and the songs and shows quickly followed...

.

Critical response

Although Schnaas' largest budgeted film (at a reported 1.4 million), Demonium features substantially more dialogue than his previous features. While it showcases his trademark gore throughout, the picture received critical jeers because of its pacing and nearly-incomprehensible dialogue (in English, spoken by an all-Italian cast). The language issue is the primary reason it has yet to be released in most English-speaking territories.

Release

It was released on DVD

DVD

A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....

in the UK later that year but, as of 2009, has not been officially released in any other territories.